Personalized Management of Patients with Proliferative Diabetic Vitreoretinopathy.

Purpose: To evaluate prognostic factors for visual outcome in patients with diabetes who have undergone vitrectomy (PPV) for severe proliferative diabetic vitreoretinopathy (PDVR) in at least one eye in the past 15 years. Methods: Medical records of 132 eyes of 66 patients were analyzed (median age 52 years 21-80; patients with type 1/2 diabetes 40/26; median follow-up 38 months 9-125). Correlations between final favorable visual outcome defined as 0.5≤ best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and prognostic factors (age, sex, type and duration of diabetes, metabolic status, BCVA, diabetic retinopathy status, data of preoperative management, data of vitrectomy, and postoperative complications) were analyzed. Results: BCVA improved significantly in the entire study cohort (from median 0.05 min-max 0.001-1 to 0.32, 0.001-1, p < 0.001). Visual stabilization was achieved in the majority of patients, and good visual acuity (0.5 ≤ BCVA) was maintained in more than one-third of the eyes. Multivariable GEE statistics showed that in addition to the duration of diabetes and stable HbA1c values, only preoperative tractional macular detachment proved to be an independent significant predictor of visual outcome. Conclusions: Pars plana vitrectomy is a useful tool when performed early before tractional macular detachment. However, long-term visual stability can only be achieved with good metabolic control.

Association of SDF-1-3' Gene A Variant with Diabetic Retinopathy in the Hungarian Population.

We investigated the association between the SDF-1-3' (c801G > A) variant and the development of diabetic macular edema (DME) or proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) in a Hungarian cohort. SDF-1-3' (c801G > A) was genotyped in 103 patients with diabetic retinopathy and 31 age- and sex-matched non-diabetic controls. Central retinal and choroidal thickness was measured by swept-source optical coherence tomography. The distribution of heterozygous and homozygous SDF-1-3' (c801G > A) genotypes was similar in diabetic and control subjects. The SDF-3'(c801AA) genotype was associated with DME (n = 94 eyes, allele distribution p = 0.006, genotype distribution p = 0.01 OR: 2.48, 95% CL: 1.21-5.08) in both univariable and multivariable modelling, independent of duration and type of diabetes, HbA1C, hypertension and microalbuminuria (p = 0.03). DME occurred earlier in patients carrying the SDF-1 (c801A) allele (Kaplan-Meier analysis, log-rank test p = 0.02). A marginally significant association was found between the presence of the SDF-1 (c801A) allele and the development of PDR (n = 89 eyes, p = 0.06). The SDF-1-3' (c801A) allele also showed a correlation with central retinal (p = 0.006) and choroidal (p = 0.08) thickness. SDF-1-3' (c801G > A) is involved in the development of macular complications in DM independent of critical clinical factors, suggesting that SDF-1 may be a future therapeutic target for high-risk patients, especially those carrying the SDF-1 (c801A) allele.

Predictive factors of selective mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist treatment in chronic central serous chorioretinopathy.

To compare the macular morphology of good and poor responders to eplerenone treatment in chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) patients. Thirty eyes of 29 patients with chronic CSCR were treated with 50 mg/day oral eplerenone and followed up for 1 year. The integrity of outer retinal layers at baseline was assessed using optical coherence tomography. Patients who showed complete resolution of subretinal fluid at 1 year were assigned to the good responder group (Group 1), whilst those who showed moderate or no resolution were classified as poor responders (Group 2). Ellipsoid zone interruption, ELM interruption and hyperreflective foci in outer segment (OS) and outer nuclear layer (ON layer) was significantly more frequent in Group 2 than in Group 1 (p < 0.05 for all parameteres). Outer segment elongation was significantly more frequently seen in Group 1 than in Group 2 (p < 0.05) Multivariable regression analysis showed that intact ellipsoid zone at baseline is an independent predictor of good therapeutic response, with an odds ratio of 26.00 (95% CI 3.69-183.45; p = 0.001) after controlling for the effect of hyperreflective foci and ELM integrity. There is higher chance of the resolution of subretinal fluid after eplerenone treatment in CSCR patients with intact outer retinal layers at baseline. Baseline morphologic evaluation of the outer retinal layers on OCT scans can be useful in predicting the response to mineralocorticoid antagonist therapy in these patients.

Preliminary Findings on the Optimization of Visual Performance in Patients with Age-Related Macular Degeneration Using Biofeedback Training.

Biofeedback training has been used to improve fixation stability in subjects with central vision loss, but the psychophysiological mechanisms underlying the functional improvements resulted was not reported. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of microperimetric biofeedback training on different visual functions and self-reported quality of vision in subjects with age-related macular degeneration. This case-control study included six subjects (72.0 ± 6.1 years of age) diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration (wet or dry) with low vision (best corrected visual acuity ranging from 0.5 to 0.1 in the study eye) and five healthy volunteers (64.2 ± 3.7 years of age). Ophthalmological and functional examinations were obtained from all subjects twice with an approximately 3-month interval. Subjects with central vision loss performed 12 sessions (10 min each) of biofeedback training between the two examinations. Functional evaluation included: microperimetry, spatial luminance contrast sensitivities, color vision thresholds, visual acuity, and reading speed. Visual performance during daily activities was also assessed using a standardized questionnaire. The ratio (2nd/1st examination) of the spatial luminance contrast sensitivity at lower spatial frequencies were much higher for the training subjects compared with the controls. In addition, self-reported quality of vision improved after the training. The significant improvement of the visual function such as spatial luminance contrast sensitivity may explain the better self-reported quality of vision. Possible structural and physiological mechanisms underlying this neuromodulation are discussed.

Choroidal thickness changes in non-treated eyes of patients with diabetes: swept-source optical coherence tomography study.

AIMS: To measure choroidal thickness (CT) in diabetic eyes and its correlation with metabolic status and the severity of diabetic retinopathy (DR). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prospective cross-sectional study using swept-source optical coherence tomography. CT maps of 96 treatment naïve eyes of 48 patients with diabetes were compared to 46 eyes of 23 healthy controls. CT changes and their relation to diabetes, age, gender, disease duration, hypertension (HT), hemoglobin A1c level, type and severity of DR were evaluated. RESULTS: A significantly thinner choroid was measured in patients with diabetes compared to controls (p < 0.009). In the diabetic group age, gender, disease duration and HT were significantly correlated with CT in univariable regression models (p < 0.05). In multivariable analysis, the duration of diabetes significantly negatively correlated with CT (p = 0.02). According to analysis of variance, there was a significant difference among means of CT in different stages of DR (p = 0.002), with thinner CT in cases with more advanced DR. In a multivariable predictive model, thinner CT was associated with an increased risk for the presence of DR (p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes mellitus itself and the severity of DR affect CT significantly, even after adjusting for the effects of confounding systemic factors. Disease duration seems to be associated with a reduction of choroidal thickness. Decreased CT proved to be correlated with the severity of DR.

MINERALOCORTICOID RECEPTOR ANTAGONIST TREATMENT IN BILATERAL CHRONIC CENTRAL SEROUS CHORIORETINOPATHY: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF EXUDATIVE AND NONEXUDATIVE FELLOW EYES.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the macular thickness, choroidal thickness, and visual acuity changes in eyes of patients with bilateral chronic central serous chorioretinopathy during eplerenone treatment. METHODS: This prospective clinical trial was conducted on patients with bilateral chronic central serous chorioretinopathy, who had subretinal fluid (SRF) in 1 eye. Twenty-eight patients were treated with 50 mg/day of oral eplerenone for 3 months and were observed for another 3 months. Twenty-eight eyes with SRF were compared with the 28 fellow eyes with pachychoroid pigment epitheliopathy. RESULTS: The central macular and choroidal thickness showed a significant decrease (P < 0.005) at 3 months in all eyes, but change in choroidal thickness was smaller in nonexudative fellow eyes (P > 0.05 at 6 months). In the exudative eyes, the decrease in choroidal thickness showed a significant correlation with the resolution of SRF (P < 0.001). Visual acuity remained stable in all eyes, with significant improvement only in exudative eyes at 6 months (P < 0.005). Baseline choroidal thickness was a significant positive predictor for SRF decrease (P = 0.003). CONCLUSION: Patients with chronic central serous chorioretinopathy can safely be treated with eplerenone as it can reverse choroidal vasodilation with an accompanying resolution of the SRF and improvement in visual acuity. These beneficial therapeutic effects are more pronounced in the exudative eyes.

Stromal Cell-Derived Factor 1 Polymorphism in Retinal Vein Occlusion.

BACKGROUND: Stromal cell-derived factor 1 (SDF1) has crucial role in the regulation of angiogenesis and ocular neovascularisation (NV). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between SDF1-3'G(801)A polymorphism and NV complications of retinal vein occlusion (RVO). METHODS: 130 patients with RVO (median age: 69.0, range 35-93 years; male/female- 58/72; 55 patients had central RVO, 75 patients had branch RVO) were enrolled in this study. In the RVO group, 40 (30.8%) patients were diagnosed with NV complications of RVO and 90 (69.2%) patients without NVs. The median follow up period was 40.3 months (range: 18-57 months). The SDF1-3'G(801)A polymorphism was detected by PCR-RFLP. Allelic prevalence was related to reference values obtained in the control group consisted of 125 randomly selected, age and gender matched, unrelated volunteers (median age: 68.0, range 36-95 years; male/female- 53/72). Statistical analysis of the allele and genotype differences between groups (RVO patients vs controls; RVO patients with NV vs RVO patients without NV) was determined by chi-squared test. P value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Hardy-Weinberg criteria was fulfilled in all groups. The SDF1-3'G(801)A allele and genotype frequencies of RVO patients were similar to controls (SDF1-3'A allele: 22.3% vs 20.8%; SDF1-3'(801)AA: 5.4% vs 4.8%, SDF1-3'(801)GG: 60.8% vs 63.2%). The frequency of SDF1-3'(801)AA and SDF1-3'(801)GA genotypes, as well as the SDF1-3'(801)A allele frequency were higher in RVO patients with NV versus in patients without NV complication (SDF1-3'(801)AA+AG genotypes: 57.5% vs 31.1%, p = 0.008; SDF1-3'(801)A allele: 35.0% vs 16.7%, p = 0.002) or versus controls (SDF1-3'(801)AA+AG genotypes 57.5% vs 36.8%, p = 0.021; SDF1-3'(801)A allele: 35.0% vs 20.8% p = 0.01). Carrying of SDF1-3'(801)A allele increased the risk of neovascularisation complications of RVO by 2.69 (OR, 95% CI = 1.47-4.93). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that carrying SDF1-3'(801)A allele plays a role in the development of neovascular complications in retinal vein occlusion.

Optic disc morphology in unilateral branch retinal vein occlusion using spectral domain optical coherence tomography.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between optic nerve head (ONH) parameters and branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). METHODS: Both eyes of 40 patients with unilateral BRVO (mean age: 67.4 ± 11.4 years, male: female - 18:22) were enrolled in this study. Control group consisted of randomly selected single healthy eyes of 40 age and gender matched volunteers (mean age: 64.7 ± 15.4 years, male: female - 16:24). ONH parameters (including optic disc area, optic cup area, neuroretinal rim area, cup volume, rim volume, cup-disc area ratio, horizontal and vertical cup-disc ratio, average retinal nerve fiber layer) were measured by SD-OCT. Axial length (AL) of the eyes was measured by non-contact optical low coherence reflectometry. The ONH parameters of eyes with BRVO were compared with those of fellow eyes using mixed model, one-way between-groups analysis of covariance was conducted to compare the ONH parameters of affected and unaffected fellow eyes in BRVO patients with those of the control eyes keeping confounding factors, including AL, age and gender under control in the statistical analysis. RESULTS: None of the investigated ONH parameters of affected BRVO eyes, unaffected fellow eyes and control eyes were statistically different after controlling for AL, age and gender. CONCLUSION: Optic disc morphology might not be a potential anatomical predisposing factor for development of BRVO.

Association between retinal vein occlusion, axial length and vitreous chamber depth measured by optical low coherence reflectometry.

BACKGROUND: Results of ocular biometric measurements in retinal vein occlusion (RVO) eyes are still inconclusive and controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between ocular axial length (AL), vitreous chamber depth (VCD) and both central (CRVO) and branch retinal vein occlusions (BRVO) using optical low coherence reflectometry (OLCR). METHODS: Both eyes of 37 patients with unilateral CRVO (mean age: 66 ± 14 years, male:female - 21:16) and 46 patients with unilateral BRVO (mean age: 63 ± 12 years, male:female - 24:22) were enrolled in this study. The control group consisted of randomly selected single eyes of 67 age and gender matched volunteers without the presence or history of RVO (mean age: 64 ± 14 years, male:female - 34:33). Optical biometry was performed by OLCR biometer (LenStar LS 900). Average keratometry readings, central corneal thickness (CCT), anterior chamber depth (ACD), lens thickness (LT), AL and VCD of eyes with RVO were compared with those of fellow eyes using paired t-tests and with those of control eyes using independent t-tests. RESULTS: Mean CCT, ACD and LT, average keratometry readings of affected RVO eyes, unaffected fellow eyes and control eyes was not statistically different in either groups. In eyes with CRVO mean AL and VCD of affected eyes were significantly shorter than those of control eyes (p < 0.001, p < 0.05), mean difference in AL and VCD between the affected and control eyes was 0.56 ± 0.15 mm and 0.45 ± 0.19 mm, respectively. In eyes with BRVO, mean AL of the affected eyes was significantly shorter with a mean difference of 0.57 ± 0.15 mm (p < 0.001) and the VCD was significantly shorter with a mean difference of 0.61 ± 0.15 mm (p < 0.001) comparing with the control eyes. CONCLUSION: Shorter AL and VCD might be a potential anatomical predisposing factor for development either of CRVO or BRVO.

Optical coherence tomography features of POEMS syndrome and Castleman disease-associated papillopathy.

PURPOSE: To report ocular symptoms and optical coherence tomography (OCT) features of polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal gammopathy, and skin changes (POEMS) syndrome. METHODS: Case report of two Caucasian patients with POEMS, one of whom also had multicentric Castleman disease. RESULTS: Both patients presented with edema on both optic disks, bilateral macular edema was seen in case 1, and peripapillary choroidal neovascularization was seen on the right side in case 2. OCT confirmed papilledema involving all retinal layers, with additional bilateral peripapillary serous retinal detachment involving the macula in both cases, and peripapillary CNV in case 2. Changes in retinal nerve fiber layer thickness, total peripapillary retinal thickness, and macular detachment were followed with OCT over the course of the disease and after administration of systemic therapy. CONCLUSION: OCT examination of the optic nerve head and the macula has an important additional role in the diagnosis and follow-up of POEMS syndrome and Castleman disease.